Patent GB-817527-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to electrical apparatus for winding strands upon takeup reels
IPC: B65H59/38
Filed: 1957-11-26
Abstract: 817,527. Transmitting mechanical power. WESTERN ELECTRIC CO. Inc. Nov. 26, 1957 [Nov. 28, 1956], No. 36825/57. Class 38 (4). [Also in Group XXXVII] Relates to apparatus in which a number of insulated conductors are twisted together to form a cable core 12, the conductors being withdrawn from supply reels and directed to a twisting unit in which they are combined with filler strands of jute. The cable core then advances through means for applying a covering of textile material about the core, and finally passes to a take-up unit comprising a reel 22. The take-up unit also includes a flyer 25 having guide sheaves 35, 36 and an aperture 37 for directing the cable on to the reel. The flyer is driven at a constant speed, and the take-up reel, which is rotated by the flyer through the pull of a portion of the cable, is coupled to an induction machine 135 which is driven to act as a brake. The induction machine is substantially operated on a straight-line portion of its speedtorque characteristic, and the resistance in its rotor circuit is so chosen as to provide a desired constant value of the tension in the cable as it is wound upon the take-up reel. A carriage 40 for moving the reel 22 longitudinally is mounted on rollers 42 engaging tracks 43, the carriage being reciprocated by means of a D.C. shunt motor 52 which is alternatively coupled through electromagnetic clutches to a pulley 85 or to a pulley 90 for driving the carriage in opposite directions. The drive shaft 88 for the carriage may also be associated with a booster motor 108 through a clutch-brake assembly, the booster motor being operative for limited periods to facilitate the reversal of the carriage at the limits of its travel. The electromagnetic clutches associated with the motor 52, and the clutch-brake unit associated with the motor 108, are controlled by means of switches actuated from a cam-shaft which is coupled to the drive for the carriage 40. A pneumatically-released latching mechanism 41 is provided for mounting and locking the take-up reel on shaft 38. In operation, the leading end of the cable is attached to the winding surface of the reel 22, and ganged switches 321-324 are set to establish a predetermined resistance in the secondary circuit of the machine 135, as determined by the constant values of tension, linear speed of the cable, and-the speed of the flyer 25. A motor 125 is first energized to drive the flyer and associated units for advancing the cable to the take-up reel, and, after a time-delay, contacts 298 close to increase the voltage applied to the motor. A centrifugal switch then closes to energize the motor 52 through rectifier 347 and the motor commences to drive the carriage 40 at constant speed. When the flyer 25 has reached its running speed, and the take-up reel has been accelerated to the empty-reel speed, the primary circuit of the machine 135 is connected to source 150 and transfers energy to the source. After a period, the shunt field winding 330 of the motor 52 is disconnected from the rectifier 347 and is connected to the secondary circuit of the induction machine 135 through rectifiers 131, 132. As the winding radius increases, the speed of the induction machine becomes proportionally greater, and the speed of the motor 52 is reduced to effect a uniform distribution of the cable upon its winding surface. During the period in which the carriage 40 is moving forward to advance the take-up reel into the flyer, the motor 52 is clutched to the pulley 85. As the carriage nears the limit of its forward traverse, a cam-actuated switch is closed to energize the motor 108 which is accelerated to full speed. At the limit of travel, a further cam-operated switch declutches the motor 52, and clutches-in the motor 108 for reversing the carriage. After a short period, the booster motor is de-clutched and braked, whereupon the motor 52 again becomes effective for driving the carriage in the reverse direction. Similar operation takes place at the other limit of travel of the carriage. When the take-up reel becomes full, a switch is operated to uncouple the motor 125, and the machine 135 is braked by reverse-current to stop the take-up reel. The shunt field winding is again connected to the rectifier 347, and the centrifugal switch opens to de-energize the machine 135 and the motor 52. The resistors included in the secondary circuit of the machine 135 may be of the type whose value decreases as the voltage across them increases. In an alternative arrangement, the induction machine rotates with the take-up reel at higher speeds than the flyer, the induction machine operating above its synchronous speed. In a further modification, the induction machine is coupled to the flyer and the take-up reel is driven at constant speed. Two induction machines may be provided, one coupled to the take-up reel and the other to the flyer. The strand tension is maintained constant at a desired value by a suitable choice of the fixed gear ratios between the flyer and reel and their respective machines and by adjusting the amount of resistance for the secondary circuits of the two machines. The torques produced by both machines would then vary linearly with speed, over the operative speed-range, as the winding diameter varies. The motor 135 may be replaced by a power transmission comprising an eddy-current coupling, this drive having a substantially linear speed-torque characteristic between zero speed and 5 per cent slip.